Panchen Lama Main Page - Updated
The Panchen Lamas, closely associated with the monastery of Tashi Lhunpo in Shigatse, are a line of successively re-incarnating teachers in the Gelug Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The first Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), was a principal teacher of the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso (1617-1682). Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen was also the most important and powerful Gelug teacher of his time. It is believed that the institution of the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama and the Desi (regent) were a political strategy formulated initially by the 3rd Desi, Sanggye Gyatso (1653-1705), considered by some to be the illegitimate son of the 5h Dalai Lama and the sister of the 2nd Desi.